Confessing with the mouth "results" in salvation? (Romans 10:10)

[shakewell]

Does Romans 10:10 teach that confessing with the mouth "results" in salvation? I don't think it does.

The NAS renders it: ... for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation

But in my interlinear there are only 10 Greek words in the verse. It seems that the most literal rendering would be:

"for heart believes to righteousness and mouth confesses to salvation"

It looks like the mouth could be confessing to salvation that the person already received by faith alone.

 

[com7fy8]

Paul says we "first trusted in Christ", in Ephesians 1:12. So, trusting in Jesus is essential. Believing in your heart, that God raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9), then, can mean trusting this in our heart and therefore trusting God by doing all He desires.

And out of the abundance of your heart (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45), then, you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 10:9), confessing Him before people. And Jesus says if we confess Him before men, He will confess us before our Father (Matthew 10:32).

 

[ZacharyB]

"for heart believes to righteousness and mouth confesses to salvation"

It looks like the mouth could be confessing to salvation that the person already received by faith alone.

Interesting concept ... thanks for sharing.
Regardless, initial salvation can be lost ...
as witnessed by many dozens of NT passages.

 

[Greg J.]

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:10, 1984 NIV) Through a knowledge of Scripture, we can know not to interpret this verse as an "If-Then" as diagrammed on the left. ("If you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth then you will be justified and saved.") Rather it is a sentence partially in the form of the "Then-Then" diagrammed on the right. If you believe with your heart, then the following consequences will result: you are justified, you will confess, and you are saved.

A clearer example:
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. (1 John 2:3, 1984 NIV)

This verse appears to be in the form of the logic diagrammed on the left side. We could use this verse to say "If we obey his commands" then "we will know that we have come to know him." But that's taking the verse out of context. John was not talking about how obedience to Jesus' commands makes us know him, he is telling us about an outward sign that a person knows Jesus—when we see that he is obeying what Jesus commanded.

So, in fact, this verse is in the form of the logic diagrammed on the right side. He (as is typical) has not made it clear what the "If" actually is. Through knowledge of Scripture, we could guess that it would be something like "abiding in Christ" and the consequences of that are both that we will obey his commands and we will come to know him (and then come to know that we came to know him).

There are a lot of statements in Scripture that are in a Then-Then form which are interpreted by some as If-Then statements, and what results is misunderstanding and all kinds of trouble.

 

[sdowney717]

John 14
Indwelling of the Father and the Son
19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”


22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”


23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

He who has His commandments, well that would come first.
People who have not His commandments can not know Christ.
How can they believe in Him of whom they have never heard?

And secondly keeps His commandments, keeps His words in their heart as truth.
So if you have the first two, then Christ says those are the ones who love Him and God.
And they will be the ones who are saved seeing that the Trinity Godhead come into and live at home within the person.

Those who obey His commandments, keeping His words as truth in their heart, must also have been given new spirits (hearts). Christ said you do not put new wine into the old wineskin or it will be burst. New wine (Holy Spirit of God) goes into new wine skins, that God transformed heart of the new creation in Christ, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus.

Only these people are those who are saved people. The old evil natural corrupted heart that followed after Satan and the flesh, God creates within them a new spirit which is alive by giving unto them a new spirit which is that new heart. Otherwise your DEAD, and do not belong to Him.

About this new man is said he was created
"the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
And to put on this new man. See within all saved persons exist the old man of the flesh and the new man of the Spirit.
The flesh, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive, has eternal life due to righteousness of Christ in God saving you by creating in you that new spirit.

Ephesians 4
The New Man
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

Giving place to the devil does not make you be uncreated as a new creation in Christ. In this life in the flesh, we are to glorify God in our mortal bodies and not give in to the lusts of the flesh.

 

[-57]

Can you even confess Christ...unless your saved?

Personally I don't think so. Prior to salvation you're dead in your sins and trespasses...dead....and unless God quickens you, you remain dead.

 

[Geralt]

what if you are physically unable to speak ?

obviously the 'speaking' act is a condition of the heart, but not a literal necessity (speaking out) in order to be saved.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

what if you are physically unable to speak ?

obviously the 'speaking' act is a condition of the heart, but not a literal necessity (speaking out) in order to be saved.

Not all situations apply for every individual. Babies cannot choose to believe in Jesus or receive Him like an adult can and yet babies will be saved if they die (For Jesus died for the sins of the entire world).

In other words, to whom much is given, much is required (Matthew 12:48).

But for those who do have mouths and are given the opportunity to confess Jesus before others and they choose not to do so at any point in their life, they are essentially saying that they are ashamed of Jesus Christ; And what does Jesus say to this type of person?

"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26).

I sincerely doubt that somebody that Jesus is ashamed of is going to be in the Kingdom (Also see verse 25, Luke 9:25).


...

 

[sdowney717]

You can not say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

So then, if you do say Jesus is Lord, then God has done a work inside of you. Satan and those of the world will never willingly say Jesus is Lord. But all will someday say that, the Holy Spirit will enforce this upon all, every knee will bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

And in a similar line, if you are His then you are His forever and in all things, since you belong to the Lord, you are not your own, you were bought-redeemed with a price, Christ's blood.

Romans 14
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written:

“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

 

[Marvin Knox]

Does Romans 10:10 teach that confessing with the mouth "results" in salvation? I don't think it does.
The NAS renders it: ... for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation
But in my interlinear there are only 10 Greek words in the verse. It seems that the most literal rendering would be:
"for heart believes to righteousness and mouth confesses to salvation"
It looks like the mouth could be confessing to salvation that the person already received by faith alone.

This reminds me of another thread where "what is salvation?" is the question at hand.

The answer to that, of course, is that salvation is a many faceted word which encompasses the entire spectrum of our life course after God acts upon our spirit. It ranges from initial regeneration, through the overcoming of our sinful nature through our various struggles, and on into eternity when we are glorified.

With our new heart, which God in grace has acted upon, we believe and are justified (rendered "righteous" in the eyes of God).

Through confession then, whether it be verbal confession or active confession before the world through the fruit we bear, we work out our salvation with fear and trembling as the Holy Spirit empowers us to do.

But that confession is only made possible through the Holy Spirit who indwells us immediately after or before we believe unto righteousness and seals us for eternity.

Confession unto "salvation" naturally follows our indwelling by the Holy Spirit.

But it in no way makes us justified in God's eyes.

 

[shakewell]

Confession unto "salvation" naturally follows our indwelling by the Holy Spirit.

But it in no way makes us justified in God's eyes.

I agree.

It looks like the New American Standard version overindulged in interpretation: for with the heart a person believes, resulting in [eis] righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in [eis] salvation.

The King James (as well as many other versions) renders it: For with the heart man believeth unto [eis] righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto [eis] salvation.

The Greek word "eis" has a broader meaning than just "resulting in".

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Confessing Jesus as your Lord was something one used to do when they first got saved along with being baptized. So accepting Christ was a form of a public declaration. This was something one would continue to keep doing. Romans 10:11 says, "Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed." Let's get an illustration of what this means in Scripture.

"So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33).

Did you catch what the passage said? It said Jesus will deny you before the Father if you deny him before men. Sure doesn't sound like "Once Saved Always Saved" to me. Unless of course you are of the camp that believes God makes some to be saved (with those who act in the proper way) and others to not be saved (those who sin). If that is the case, then why do we have to live out this life? It serves no purpose if God predetermines who will be saved or not saved.


...

 

[sdowney717]

Confessing Jesus as your Lord was something one used to do when they first got saved along with being baptized. So accepting Christ was a form of a public declaration. This was something one would continue to keep doing. Romans 10:11 says, "Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed." Let's get an illustration of what this means in Scripture.

"So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33).

Did you catch what the passage said? It said Jesus will deny you before the Father if you deny him before men. Sure doesn't sound like "Once Saved Always Saved" to me. Unless of course you are of the camp that believes God makes some to be saved (with those who act in the proper way) and others to not be saved (those who sin). If that is the case, then why do we have to live out this life? It serves no purpose if God predetermines who will be saved or not saved.


...

That verse does not imply someone who did confess Christ before men then later did not confess Christ before men, you are adding in that idea.

The 'perseverance of the saints ' is the idea in Hebrews 3 and 4 where it says

4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.



God built ALL things. Now all things are of God. We are his house, and so then actually proven His house if at the end of our life, we hold fast our confidence and rejoicing in the hope firm till the end. That this is evident is that the saints of God inherit and are given the kingdom at the end. If you are one of the saints, then you will endure till the end. That is because you overcome the world by your faith. You overcome the world and Satan by the blood of Christ and the word of your testimony and and you did not love your life to the death.

Revelation 2:7
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’


Revelation 2:26
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

2 Corinthians 4:15
For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 5:18
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

Hebrews 4
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’”

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”

6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

You must connect v3, and v10 as the writer of scripture here has also connected them together.
So then cease from your own works and rest upon His finished works, finished from the foundation of the world!
This is accomplished in us by being obedient to the gospel, those who have believed in Christ, they are the ones who CEASE from their own works as God did from His.

That this work of God was finished from the foundation of the world points out that God knows those who belong to Him before they were born, of those who it says, For we who have believed do enter that rest.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

That verse does not imply someone who did confess Christ before men then later did not confess Christ before men, you are adding in that idea.

Not really. While confessing "Jesus is Lord" was done when a person first got saved normally, it was also a continual thing they said or loosely expressed (using other words) before others in preaching the gospel. For if you were to keep reading in Romans 10, it mentions to the reader how they have an obligation to preach the gospel (See Romans 10:14-15). In the KJV, it says confession is MADE unto salvation. MADE suggests something that takes a little time. You know, if I MAKE cookies. Or if I MAKE a painting of some happy little trees next to a happy little river. It takes time to do these things. For what good does it do to say "Jesus is Lord" to oneself just one time or even all the time? Especially if one is not doing what He says? Jesus says, why do you call me Lord, Lord if you do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46).

The 'perseverance of the saints ' is the idea in Hebrews 3 and 4 where it says

4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Yeah, but you kinda left this part out of Hebrews 3 (That destroys your belief here):

12 "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:12-13).

God built ALL things. Now all things are of God. We are his house, and so then actually proven His house if at the end of our life, we hold fast our confidence and rejoicing in the hope firm till the end. That this is evident is that the saints of God inherit and are given the kingdom at the end. If you are one of the saints, then you will endure till the end. That is because you overcome the world by your faith. You overcome the world and Satan by the blood of Christ and the word of your testimony and and you did not love your life to the death.

As for the blood of Christ:

1 John 1:7 says,

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7).

Revelation 2:7
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’


Revelation 2:26
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

Yeah, when I think of the word "overcome" I really do not think that applies when it comes to having a belief alone. It does not really take that much effort to hold to a certain belief about something. Overcoming is talking about overcoming in your faith in the sense that you will stand by what Jesus commands you to do for Him. For if you are not doing what Jesus says, you are following your own version of Jesus. Jesus never said that His Commands are suggestions. In fact, the very word "command" tells us that they are not suggestions. Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments. Do you love Jesus? Jesus says if you are my friend, you will keep His Commands. Are you a friend of Jesus? Do you think people who are not friends of Jesus and who do not love Jesus will be in God's Kingdom? Surely not. That wouldn't make any sense.

1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

2 Corinthians 4:15
For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 5:18
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

Yes, and if you abide in Christ, then the fruit of Christ or His work will be evident in your life. No Jesus and there is no life (See 1 John 5:12).

Hebrews 4
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

Yes, he who believes in Jesus and by trusting in doing everything that He commanded us to do. If one is not doing what He says, they are not truly believing in Jesus. Just as Peter sank in the water because of a lack of faith or unbelief. Peter was trying to walk on the water, but He did not trust Jesus. Peter was trying to do what Jesus said, but he could not do it because of his unbelief. Peter did not trust or believe in Jesus fully in being able to do the work of walking on the water.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Yes, a believer who has truly accepted Jesus and realizes that it is Christ who works thru them understands that they are not doing their own work alone of their own power or ability. For Jesus said we can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). This yet another reason why Jesus deserves all the glory, honor, and power.


....

 

[fhansen]

Does Romans 10:10 teach that confessing with the mouth "results" in salvation? I don't think it does.

The NAS renders it: ... for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation

But in my interlinear there are only 10 Greek words in the verse. It seems that the most literal rendering would be:

"for heart believes to righteousness and mouth confesses to salvation"

It looks like the mouth could be confessing to salvation that the person already received by faith alone.

Rom 10:10 was never meant to be an exhaustive formula for salvation. Faith must lead to more than faith as we walk in it through whatever time we're given here on earth. So, yes, we must also confess our faith, we must be unashamed of the gospel, remain faithful, remain in Christ; we must persevere, strive, be vigilant, be holy, be perfect, invest our talents. We must love-and express that love-performing the works prepared for us beforehand in Christ Jesus, such as those described in Matt 25:31-46, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc. We must work out our salvation with He who works in us.